


Promises

by Llwyden ferch Gyfrinach (Llwyden)



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Light Side Sith Warrior, M/M, Sith Warrior Outlander, Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Fallen Empire, Star Wars: The Old Republic - Shadow of Revan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22594720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llwyden/pseuds/Llwyden%20ferch%20Gyfrinach
Summary: The Wrath of the Empire and SIS Agent Theron Shan. It shouldn't even be possible, let alone feasible.Personally, he blames Vette.
Relationships: Theron Shan/Male Sith Warrior, Vette & Male Sith Warrior
Comments: 2
Kudos: 64
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Asymptotical](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asymptotical/gifts).



> Many many thanks to my beta Gammarad, who made this a much better story, and my partner, who helped me get it unstuck.
> 
> Some dialogue taken from SWTOR.

He blamed it on Vette in the beginning, really. His initial concern for Theron was just the polite inquiry of an ally, and it might have stopped there. But, “He’s cute when he blushes,” she’d said gleefully, and then the Wrath couldn’t stop thinking about it.

It still might not have gone anywhere - thinking someone was attractive was hardly the same as wanting to start something, particularly when that someone came with both an SIS resume and the last name Shan. But he couldn’t resist a little teasing, a little, “Is my presence so distracting you have to send me away?”

And Theron said he wasn’t entirely wrong.

Lana’s amusement said he hadn’t entirely managed to hide his own surprise.

He found himself looking for it after that, for the little telltales that might say Theron was serious. A curve of a smile when he spoke, a glance from the side when there was no need for one, a warmth to his presence in the Force. It wasn’t much, but Theron was a trained spy, after all, and the fact there was anything there probably meant he meant to show it.

When Theron was captured by the Revanites, the Wrath stopped himself short of choking Lana; he had to admit that letting him be captured made logistical sense. If he hadn’t been becoming so attached, he might have done it himself. Instead he clenched his fists and welcomed the fear and anger, let it fuel him in tearing the traitors apart to get to Theron.

Then Theron was _there_ , alive if a bit banged up, and the Wrath tore apart more Revanites and droids on their way out of the bunker, fueled now less by fear and more by pure, primal joy. He wondered if Theron could feel it too, feel how their connection bolstered him until they returned to the Rishii village.

After that it was all a rush - getting through the lines, taking down the jammer, meeting with Darth Marr and the Jedi - and there was no time for more than a quick hand-clasp of solidarity and apology until everybody was packing up to head to Yavin IV.

Then he managed to kiss Theron Shan. The enemy, as he’d just admitted. Son of a Jedi, Republic spy, an expert at dissimulation and betrayal, and the Wrath, who had already been betrayed thrice over, had no reason at all to trust him.

But somehow he did.

“And they said if I ever kissed an Imp I’d spontaneously implode,” Theron quipped, smiling at him.

“Maybe by the time we reach Yavin IV,” he purred back.

There was no need to travel in the same ship to get there; it was actually more of an inconvenience, given that they both ought to have their ships there. Fortunately, Vette was a true friend, Quinn was still working off his guilt, and Pierce was just amused by the whole thing, so they were perfectly happy to travel to Yavin without him. Jaesa gave him a worried look and a prod in the Force, but he took a moment to share what he was feeling with her — the trust but caution, the happiness but knowledge this was temporary, _I just want what I can get whilst I can get it_ — and she squeezed his hands and nodded.

Theron’s ship was somewhat more cramped than his would have been, but they were alone here, and neither of them was much accustomed to luxury.

“Is this sort of ship standard for SIS agents?” he asked, looking around.

“It’s my ship,” Theron answered, flying them out of atmosphere and calculating the jump. “I’m not about to give you any info on the SIS.”

He shook his head. “I was curious. Are you always this suspicious?”

“I’m a spy; it’s in the job description,” Theron answered wryly. “Sorry. I like you. I like you a lot. But we are still technically at war. I’m surprised a Sith is so trusting.”

“In my experience, no trust or lack of it will keep anyone from betraying you,” he answered. “They will always find a way.”

“And here I thought I was the cynic.”

The Wrath’s lips curved bitterly. “I trusted the Emperor.”

Theron winced. “Touché.” 

The stars blurred and streaked into hyperspace, and Theron checked everything once more, then slid out of the pilot’s seat and faced him. “You realize your entire crew — and Lana, and probably Darth Marr and the Grand Master if they find out — thinks we’re spending the whole trip to Yavin having sex.”

He grinned and wrapped his arms around Theron’s waist. “Let’s not disappoint them.”

They didn’t only have sex, of course. Oh, there was plenty of that, but there were also conversation and simply lying together. And when they lay in Theron’s bunk after, there were confessions and secrets murmured in the dark. 

_Is it disappointing when your partner isn’t Force sensitive? — I wouldn’t know; I’ve never had the time for one before._

_What was it like, being raised by the Jedi? — More and less loving than you would expect._

_Have you ever thought of defecting? — Never; it’s my home._

_Have you? — It’s my home, too._

Rishi had been comfortable, in a way; no masks required, just their little group of friends. Yavin was a dance of two entire forces in a temporary truce. The Empire troops looked askance at the aliens, the Republic soldiers gave the Sith a wide berth, and he and Theron, along with the leaders, were left to present a unified, professional front as an example, perpetually watched for any signs of animosity or weakness. It was, at least, something he had experience of; that didn’t make it less infuriating.

And then it was over. Stolen kisses behind giant ferns, a promotion for Theron and a reaffirmation for him, and the truce was broken. They would probably never see each other again. If they were lucky.

“Maybe someday we’ll have peace again.” He ran his hands down Theron’s face.

“I thought peace was a lie.” Theron kissed him again.

He smiled sadly. “It is.”

The less said about Ziost, the better. Even Theron’s presence did little to lighten that dark spot. He hated to think of the billions that had died to fuel Vitiate’s hunger for immortality. Vitiate. The Emperor he had served faithfully, who had betrayed him, his Empire, and the entire galaxy. He’d vowed he would bring Vitiate down, and he had failed miserably.

He wondered if Marr felt the same. If perhaps their rage and sense of duty had led them both to move too quickly, too blindly, set them up for yet another failure.

Lana’s face was so welcome, when he opened his eyes. The indeterminate time and space of being frozen, with only Valkorion’s voice with him…the agony of waking was preferable, and she was a welcome ally. But throughout his rescue, meeting Koth and HK, fleeing Vaylin, finding their way through the swamp, _surviving_ , a part of his mind kept dangerously wandering to where his friends were — had Vette survived all this? Had Jaesa? And another traitorous but hopeful part asked, _had Theron?_ He didn’t dare ask beyond generalities, wasn’t sure he was ready for the answers. 

Then came Senya, and Valkorion _again_ , and then they were on Asylum and fighting gangsters and fighting Scions and fighting Arcann and Vaylin, fighting for their lives because nothing was ever easy, and often he preferred it that way, preferred the conflict and the adrenaline and the chance to prove himself, but he was barely out of five years’ carbonite poisoning and catching up on galactic affairs, and it was all a bit much just now, and a lightsaber to the gut had not been in his plans!

Odessen was balm to his wounded body and reeling mind. Its Force signature was strong, there were concrete things to do, and nobody was trying to kill him. It would take a while to build a decent base, but there were people flocking to them — flocking to _him_ , Lana insisted, people with ships and goods and military experience and Force sensitivity. There were smugglers and fighters, Jedi and Sith…and still he kept looking for the missing faces in the crowd.

He was helping out on the open landing platforms, moving crates to their final destinations, when a flash of red in the corner of his eye nearly made him drop the last one. He shook his head and firmed his grip; it wouldn’t be the first time he’d been disappointed, the first time he’d seen only what his mind wanted him to. Still, when the shipment was secure, he turned toward the latest ship, prepared to be let down again.

It was Theron.

He took a deep breath and let it out, unable to turn away. It was too much, this relief. 

Theron, of course, came directly for him. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

He was barely aware of what he said in the rest of the conversation. Theron had found his ship but not his people, he’d been working with Lana all along because of course he had, and he had official business to cover. _Where have you been?_ he wanted to yell, _Tell me about **yourself**!_ But there was still so much to do. Always so much to do.

When the conversation was over, he went to his mostly finished room and collapsed onto his knees to meditate. There was too much there, too many tangled emotions to straighten out before he could use them for fuel. By the time he met Theron and his associates for the “official stuff”, he was back to his usual self, able to push it all to the back of his mind, pull out one thread at a time to make him sharper, focus on the task at hand. He nodded to the new specialists, made a note to possibly ask Dr. Oggurobb about _non_ -invasive tests and to speak with Sana Rae about her plans for working with other Force users, then turned to Theron.

“What do I have to do to find what you’ve been up to all these years?”

“We’ll get a chance to talk. Soon,” Theron promised, and it wasn’t quite satisfactory, but it wasn’t as if duty hadn’t always come first, so he nodded and let it go.

That evening, there was a party in the newly commissioned (but yet to be named even unofficially) cantina. It was going in more or less full swing by the time he showed up, late less because of the workload and more because the people here deserved to cut loose before their apparent leader was in the room, and he wasn’t fond of being the center of attention in any case.

He walked in, looked around, and headed for Lana, Theron, and Koth at the bar. 

“Don’t worry,” Theron assured him, “we didn’t really start without you.”

“Yes, we’ve only just begun,” Lana agreed. “I wasn’t sure you’d attend.”

He looked wryly around at the celebration. “Meaning that neither of you have been here long, either, and you’ve both been working too hard.”

Theron shifted, coughed, and slid his datapad guiltily down the bar. Lana smirked. “I did tell you.”

“Yeah, yeah, all right.” Theron sighed. 

“I realize there’s a lot to do,” he said gravely, “but we need to give ourselves time to experience life, too. Remember what we’re fighting for, connect with each other.” He wondered if that were a thing Theron had ever been taught, being raised by a Jedi.

“Duly noted.” Theron held up his hands. “I have been thoroughly overruled. I’m celebrating, I’m celebrating. And now you are, too.”

He smiled. “Actually, I was hoping to have a word with you first, Theron. Let’s catch up.”

They started in an alcove off the main room, Theron finally answering his questions, none of which came as a surprise. 

“I want you to know,” Theron promised, “I’ll do everything I can to keep things moving smoothly around here.”

“So you’ll take care of anyone who needs you?” he asked a bit archly. Was that what he was these days, a duty?

“Not just anyone.” Theron spoke softly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to thaw you out.” He said more, _look at all you’ve accomplished…this feels like destiny…_ , but Theron’s hand was at his waist, and concentration was difficult.

“If you mean being here with you, I agree,” he interrupted, his voice a low rasp. He reached up to pull Theron into a kiss, and Theron came willingly, and after all this time he hadn’t forgotten what it felt like, but the memory must have dimmed a bit, because the touch of Theron's lips lit his skin on fire.

He shook his head. “Other than that, what have I accomplished, Theron — not dying?" He snorted. "I’m not destined for anything, I’m just doing the best I can with what I’ve got, like everybody else. But if what I’ve got includes you, I will take it.” He leaned in for another kiss. “Come to my room?”

Perhaps predictably, the first words out of Theron’s mouth once they were there, the door closed behind them, were, “Well, it’s bigger than my ship.”

“I liked your ship,” he confessed, smiling. “I have fond memories of it. But someone found a luxury bed somewhere and decided I should have it. We’ll have to work to be as close as we were in your bunk.”

Theron grinned and wrapped his arms around him. “I’m not averse to a bit of hard work.”

There were secrets and talk in the dark again, after. 

He watched his hand as it trailed over Theron’s thigh. “When we began this, I never could have predicted where we’d end up.”

Theron kissed his shoulder. “We haven’t ‘ended’ yet. Where we do remains to be seen. Do you think we can defeat Zakuul?”

“I have to. That belief fuels me, gives me the strength to get through it all. Do you?”

“It’s your job to inspire; it’s my job to poke holes in things,” Theron answered. “I see all the ways it could go wrong. But I’m going to do my damnedest to make sure none of them come true.”

“Whatever happens, I’m glad to have you with me.” He leaned in for another kiss.

They broke for air and Theron met his eyes. “Zakuul won’t know what hit them. And whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”


End file.
